CVE-2020-15121 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

In radare2 before version 4.5.0, a vulnerability exists where malformed PDB file names in the PDB server path can lead to shell injection, allowing the execution of arbitrary shell code.

Understanding CVE-2020-15121

What is CVE-2020-15121?

CVE-2020-15121 is a command injection vulnerability in radare2 versions prior to 4.5.0, enabling shell code execution through specially crafted PDB file names.

The Impact of CVE-2020-15121

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 7.4, indicating a high severity issue with a potential for remote code execution.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-15121

Vulnerability Description

Malformed PDB file names in the PDB server path can trigger shell injection.
Execution of arbitrary shell code is possible by opening an executable in radare2 and running idpd.
The exploit creates a file named 'pwned' in the current directory.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: radare2
Vendor: radareorg
Versions Affected: < 4.5.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Integrity Impact: High
User Interaction: Required

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update radare2 to version 4.5.0 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid opening untrusted executables in radare2.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and dependencies to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement input validation to prevent command injection attacks.

Patching and Updates

Refer to vendor advisories and security patches for the latest updates and fixes.